The second snowstorm in three days kept police in Western Maine busy Friday as they responded to more than 50 accidents by midafternoon.

By nightfall, the snowstorm had passed, but dropping temperatures meant slick roads just about everywhere.

After dark, cars began sliding off roads, into trees and into other vehicles as wet roads became treacherous with black ice.

Few injuries were reported. Mostly it was a night of nonstop activity for police officers and public works crews.

Lewiston, Auburn and the rest of Androscoggin County seemed spared the afternoon drama seen in other areas where snow slicked roads. But when the temperature plummeted and roads iced up, officers in those parts of the state got pulled into the fray.

In Auburn at about 8:30 p.m., a car slid off Pownal Road and rolled onto its roof. The driver and passengers got out, and there was no serious injury.

At the time of that wreck, public works crews were already out in force, dropping sand or salt on problem areas, such as River Road between Auburn and Durham.

In Oxford County, the slipping and sliding began early in the day.

Fryeburg police Lt. Michael McAllister responded to three accidents on Route 113 between 12:15 and 1 p.m. Two involved cars sliding off roads, but the third, at 12:45 p.m., involved a car and plow truck collision in Stow.

McAllister said private plowing contractor Robert Farnum, 57, of Chatham, N.H., was clearing the road when the wing of his plow caught on the soft shoulder. That and his momentum kicked the back of his truck into the path of a Subaru Outback station wagon driven by Jean MacGee of Stow, McAllister said.

The Subaru collided with a rear wheel on the truck, causing an estimated $3,000 in damage to the car, $2,000 to the truck, McAllister said.

Unlike other Oxford County towns, McAllister said Fryeburg had more accidents from Friday’s storm than Tuesday’s.

“The roads are not bad now, but if the temperature drops another 8 or 10 degrees, then we’ll probably be in trouble,” he said at 3:40 p.m.

Oxford Patrolman Jim Richardson said he, too, responded to three storm-related accidents. The first happened at 10:30 a.m. when one vehicle slid into the rear of another car. Two people in the car that was struck were taken to Stephens Memorial Hospital as a precautionary measure.

“We got a few inches of snow, just enough to make it slick,” Richardson said. “It’s been crazy, but I haven’t had as many as Paris. Paris police had a bunch of accidents.”

Oxford County Regional Communications Center dispatching shift supervisor Steve Cordwell said that five drivers in a row slid off Paris roads at about the same time.

“I was surprised Tuesday when we had way over 100 incidents, but today, we’re only up to 50,” Cordwell said at 4 p.m.

No rain or snow was in the forecast for the weekend, although it is expected to remain cool.